Monday, December 31, 2007

To The End...

To conclude 2007 I would like to editorialize the Amquix phenomena as I saw it over the past year. I know that is stepping outside of the box for me, to provide an opinion, but what the hell, if you don't like it, click out of here now.

Big changes happened. Amway started of slow & quiet, then went for the throat of TEAM, telling them if they wouldn't play by the rules, they were out. A few higher level "leaders" started out with TEAM, but seemed to slough off one by one, once they realized that the gravy train may be coming to an end if they followed through.

OK, that could be considered an oversimplification, but I'm a simple man. I digress.

Then the big changes are announced. Amway/Quixtar is cleaning up the dirty messes that have taken literally decades to pile up to the point of overflowing. They (carefully) admit they are not perfect and have made mistakes. They are going to fix the problems, and make it better for the rank and file IBO. By the way, they are also changing the name back to Amway, which pisses off yet another faction of people who have relied on being able to say, honest, it's not Amway. The IBOAI is proven to have no real authority, and Amway is established as the big kid on the block everyone better listen to, or else.

Well Hallelujah. Finally, something is going to get done. Right? What needed to be done in order to put an end to this PR nightmare was exactly what Amway said they were going to do. Fix it. How they decided to fix it , or whether they are fixing it, well, that's another ball of wax, isn't it?

Let's be plain about this, shall we? First of all, let's establish who let things get to the absolutely critical condition they were. Based on the gunboat tactics Amway is now utilizing, I think it's safe to say nothing goes on without Amway's say so. So Amway is the culprit who let things get to the way they are.

Why? Well, does it really matter why they let it get to this point? In my opinion, they simply got away with something as long as they could. They were making money, the "leaders" were making money, everyone was happy, so why tinker with it?

What was the smell, and where was it coming from? Depends who you ask. But it was all over the internet, and before you know it, everyone knows what Amway and the "leaders" were doing. How much stock you put in a company that supplies everyday goods to people yet relies on such secrecy is up to you, Reader, not me. I know what I think. The UK decision may give undecided people on the fence a place to fall.

I guess Amway figured they better do something, anything to make it look like they care. Out with the TEAM. In with good intentions, a new beginning, and the world (less 10%).

Here's the problem, according to Rocket. Amway, Critics, and Pro Amway folks, feel free to comment on this, because I am really missing the boat here.

What has Amway done? I mean, yeah, they started corporate blogs, We all get to comment to Beth Dornan, et al, such as they are. But has anything solid been done? Even the corporate blogs are not as frequently updated as much a ham 'n' egger blogger such as myself. Sure, people are allowed to express their opinions, but big deal. When there are no answers given, then what is accomplished? Rhetoric, that's what. They can now say they are open with communication, but don't kid yourself, friend. They will tell you nothing but what they want you to hear, and if that happens to be the truth, hey, bonus.

What is being done? Prices? Still pretty high and not conducive to large volume movement. Shipping? Cumbersome and expensive. Motivation profit issues? Who knows? Yes, they have accreditation, but what does that do? Does it cease the blatant conflict of interest? Not from what I've seen. You're free to disagree, but I have not seen a single thing done to help the IBO. Hell, they won't even break up case lots yet, or address the ridiculous shipping costs.

So, this has been a very perilous year for Amway. They have had some struggles and obviously, losses of profit.

The future? I like to think what comes around goes around.

I think it's going around now. It's easy to be good when things are going well for you. You can test the real mettle of an organization by seeing how they handle it when things aren't going so well.

Guess we'll see.

Amway started off 2007 slow and quiet. It seems to be how they've decided to finish this one as well.

You shoulda just told the pilot to set the plane down for a few minutes and stopped in to Hi.

And while you are now back home in the cold; you can relish in the fact that it will finally drop below freezing here on the Gulf Coast tonight for longer than 6 hours.(a hard freeze, according to the weatherman)